...if by a "Liberal" they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people -- their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, and their civil liberties -- someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a "Liberal," then I'm proud to say I'm a "Liberal." JFK

Friday, May 28, 2010

Today Charlie explains why the oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico is the responsibility of environmentalist. The enviromentalist have prevented drilling on land and in shallower waters, forcing oil companies into deep water drilling. This by the way is pretty much the current conservative talking point.

Charlie is wise in saying

Obama is no more responsible for the damage caused by this than Bush was for the damage caused by Katrina

. He is saying that, because unlike many conservatives, he realizes that by calling the oil spill disaster "Obama's Katrina", he is admitting that the Bush Administration screwed up the response to hurrican Katrina. And we cannot have that.

I'm will to place a good amount of the blame on Obama. President Obama came into office knowing the Minerals Management Service was basically the oil companies regulating themselves. He said he would fix that situation and he did not.

But who is really to blame? Where is the personal responsibility? Who wants cheap gasoline? We do. "Drill baby drill was the mantra of the majority over the last 18 months. Politicians, wanting to keep their jobs, make decisions based on keeping those that want cheap gasoline happy. Hell, even President Obama caved on not allowing deep water drilling.

So there is plenty of blame to go around. BP for being crappy engineers (actually, more likely the fault of BP accountants). The MMS for not doing their job of regulating. President Obama for not fixing the MMS. But let's face it. We all need to take a little responsibilty because we don't want to pay what everyone else in the world pays for fuel.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Have you heard about the Republican website "America Speaking Out"? Here is your chance to tell Congress what you think, what you want, and how to solve America's problems. Great idea....right?

Well, before you answer that question I suggest you visit the site and read some of the comments. Now I admit I'm not the best writer around. But, I can string enough words together to get my point across in a semi-coherent manner. I'm not the greatest speller around, but I know how to use a dictionary.

A good majority of comments on "America Speaking Out" are poorly reasoned, misspelled, and consist of just 'good ol' common sense'.

Some suggestions: repeal child labor laws, children these days are too coddled. Or, deport the illegals but tatoo a big letter 'I' on their chest before they are deported. And, where would we be without the Obama is not a citizen comments.

The comments on the website speak volumes about the makeup of the Republican/Conservative party.

Monday, May 24, 2010

Dr. Andrew Wakefield of MMR vaccine causes autism fame has been struck from the medical register in the UK. I just thought Wakefield was a dishonest researcher until I read the "facts in the case" which can be found here.